The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-02-19

Notwithstanding the rare old ago with which
Samuel LutZ has been blessed, there is some
thing pathetic about the venerable man who
has SO long survived the generation that he
commenced life with. He stands to-day like u
melancholy monument of the past-of century
crowded with the worlds most prodigious and
significant history. He was u child when the
French Revolution struck the knel of kingly
oppression. He saw the stpr of Napoleon rise
to its zenith and then sink back into the horizon
ind night OF st. Helena. He recalls the death
of Washington and other illustrious patriots of
this country. He was soldier in the war Of
1912, and was thirteen years of age when Ohio
was admitted into the Union, and his faithful
memory recalls in an accurate, circumstantal
and picturesque way the great events of the
century. 1t is needless to say that he has more
personal Knowledge of the practical history Of
the Scioto Valley than any person living.
DR.. w. w. Waddle, Of Chillicothe, who is
writing about Mr. Lutz for the Adelphi Netcs,
and of whose letter free use has been made,
says the Squire, as he is called. has but one am
bition, and that is to reach his one hundredth
year. His wishes to do this for the sake Of his
children, who he thinks have great deal Of
pride in his old age. Squire Lutz is singularly
free from egotism, and he does justice to all the
events which he describes. His life has been an
industrious, upright and successful one, and
what he has to say will command attention and
respect.
Mr. LutZ talkS nuently ana O1ten WIN 8OOu
deal Of energy. Said he:
81 was born in 1889, in the year that Wash
ington was first inaugurated President of the
United States. My birthplace was North
| ampton County, in Pennsylvania, very close to
the line OF Bucks County. The date OF my
birth was the 13th Of March, Washington was
| to have been inaugurated on the 4th Of that
| month. but this installation into office did not
really occur, on account OF some political diff
culties, until the latter part Of April. So you
| see that 1 am in reality older than the Federal
| Government. On the 18th Of October, 1902, my
| father and Uncle Jacob, and John Lutz,
| bought 4l6 acres in the south part of this Sec
tion. 1t had been entered by John Shoemaker
| In May, 1901. Shoemaker had sold 200 of his
| entry to John May. John Karshner ST., now
owns oil but iS5 acres of that land. There were,
| when We came here, u number OF settlements
along Salt Creek. but very few people were at
tracted to the uplands The land along Salt
| Creek Plum Run, and along Kinnikinnick, In
cluding Beech Fork, and thence on to the river,
was very rich and fertile prairie. Wherever
| there was high ground it was well timbered.
| This extent of prairie was in some places quite
| narrow, and in the old Pike Hole prairie was at
| places quite swampy The latter had been
under water so long that it produced but one
| kind OF grass, which was called "sour grass,
| and which strongly resembled wheat before II
! heads out. When 1t was young and tender II
made excellent hay, but when 1t attained Ger
tain age 1t grew very rank and stif, and was
worthless as fodder.
Just about the time Of our removal-oI
| shortly before-I remember that there was con
siderable political excitement In the country
over the election OF Jefferson and Burr to be
President and Vice President of the United
States. At that time the people did not vote
directly for Vice President, and IT was brough,
before Congress. There Jefferson was elected
| President and Aaron Burr Vice President.
| plaar fhnf aYnitnmnnt
| about that election and q great deal OF feeling
| was aroused
IT can we'll recall the erection of this part O.
| the Northwest Territory into the State OF Ohio
| and was in Chillicothe when the first State
Legislature met there in 1902 and 1903 Law
yer Michael Baldwin, OF Chillicothe, was the
first speaker OF the House OF Representatives
~ was married on the 18th OF October, 1911
| My wife's name was Elizabeth Feterof, who
came here from Bucks County, Pennsylvania
| In 1907 She was not quite eighteen years OLE
| when we were united. But" said the Squire
with an amused laugh, 1--WE didn't have an.
old maids In those days From 1912 until
1870 young men were keenly on the lookou
for marriageabe females, and when new fam
lily put In an appearance the girls neve
lacked for suitors. There was a general rush
and short and sharp courtship resulted II
matrmony.
"People In those days did not appear to be 81
desirous OF accommodating large fortunes as the,
are now And there was wide difference be
tween the Pennsylvanians and the Virginians
who were the original settlers OF this country
The Pennsylvanians could beat the Virginian
In raising grain, but the latter were their supe
riors In stock raising. Then Virginia had q hun
dred years the start OF the Northern State
Slavery made some difference, but the ordinanc
OF 1857 e1ectually prevented that from eve
gaining a foothold In Ohio or ths Northwes
Territory.
'sIa the sarly dana altar nav canning hsrs. yu